Land-level rise
Terschelling, UNESCO World Heritage
The Land Art project Krachtenspel tussen de Elementen on Terschelling envisions the opposite of sea-level rise—which is expected to largely submerge the Wadden Islands over the next hundred years: land-level rise the island growing along with the sea.
By removing vegetation from the existing sand drift dike on the Boschplaat, a large, wind-driven dune can emerge. A grid of old mooring poles traps the drifting sand, allowing the area to gradually build up while making the processes of sand drift and dune formation visible over time.
RAAAF has been asked to create a site-specific art intervention for the Wadden Islands (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) that depicts the 2008 Delta Committee report. Without intervention, these islands will largely disappear under water in the next 100 years due to sea level rise.
What makes these islands special is the symbiosis between grand natural processes and human activities. The Land Art- project "Interaction between the elements" combines these seemingly opposing forces. The art installation is also a spatial thinking model to allow these islands to literally grow along with sea level rise; in other words, “land level rise”.
The existing shifting dike is activated by removing the vegetation present. A large shifting sand dune is created. A grid of old mooring posts is needed to hold the drifting sand so that the area slowly rises. It also makes the process of shifting and dune formation visible in time.
Data
Client: Atelier Fryslan
Land Art Intervention: RAAAF
I.c.w. Deltares & Gerwin de Vries
Location: Boschplaat Terschelling
Year: 2009